“Honey…”
“Don’t call me. I’m going down for dinner. If you want to kneel, be my guest.”
Elysia strode toward the door, and Tarquin scrambled after her.
He grabbed her arm, but she shook him off.
Just as Elysia reached for the doorknob, Tarquin made a split-second decision. He pressed her gently against the door, blocking her path with his arm.
He was determined to make her forgive him!
He tried to kiss her, but Elysia turned her head away. “Tarquin, do you want a black eye that badly?!”
“Babe, I know I messed up. You can smack me if you want, but please don’t say we’re over—”
Before Tarquin could finish, a tiny voice piped up from the hallway:
“Big bro, second bro, third bro, Elijah—what are you guys doing lying in front of mom and dad’s door?”
Elysia froze. “!”
Tarquin froze. “!”
She shoved Tarquin aside and flung open the door.
All four kids were huddled outside, looking as guilty as a pack of puppies caught stealing cookies. Their eyes darted everywhere but at her.
For a few stunned seconds, Elysia could only stare. Then she found her voice.
“When… when did you all get here?”
Elliot chimed in, “Just now!”
Evan added, “Maybe ten minutes ago?”
Emmett mumbled, “We came upstairs with Dad.”
Elijah said, “We just got here!”
All four answered at once, none of them matching.
Elysia’s eyes narrowed. “So you’ve all learned to lie just like your dad, huh?”
The kids looked at each other, then quickly corrected themselves, “We came up right after Dad did!”
Elysia crossed her arms. “And why exactly did you come up?”
Elliot answered for the group, “We were worried you’d actually hit Dad, so we were ready to rush in and kneel with him. You know, to beg you to forgive him!”
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